Joe Quinn

Labour's Wendy Alexander was not reported to prosecutors over an illegal campaign donation because she had tried to follow the rules, a member of the Electoral Commission said yesterday.

John McCormick, who has special responsibility for Scotland on the commission, gave the explanation in an interview on BBC Scotland's The Politics Show.

The commission decided in January not to report the Labour leader to prosecutors over a £950 donation by a Jersey-based businessman to her leadership campaign last year.

Electoral law stipulates that donations above £200 must be from UK voters or firms.

Mr McCormick said that the penalty for receiving an impermissible donation was to forfeit it, and Ms Alexander had done so immediately.

"We then looked at whether anyone else in her campaign team, or herself, had tried to hide or deceive anyone about the donation, and there was no evidence about that."